LONDON, April 16 (Reuters) – British inflation held steady
in March at its highest level since last May, keeping up the
pressure on households, and the International Monetary Fund
sharply cut its growth outlook for the country.

Annual consumer price inflation held at 2.8 percent, the
same as in February and above the Bank of England’s 2 percent
target, although finance minister George Osborne has given the
bank leeway to focus more on growth and allow some inflation
overshoots.

LONDON, April 16 (Reuters) – British consumer price
inflation held steady in March at its highest level since last
May, while lower oil prices suggested future rises in inflation
may be smaller than feared, official data showed on Tuesday.

Annual consumer price inflation held at 2.8 percent, the
same as in February and above the Bank of England’s 2 percent
target, although the finance minister has given the bank leeway
to focus more on growth and allow for such inflation overshoots.

LONDON, April 9 (Reuters) – British industry bounced back
surprisingly strongly in February, pointing to a nascent
economic recovery that may nonetheless need more help from the
central bank to gather pace.

A 1 percent rise in industrial output from January lifted
production in February slightly above its average level in the
last quarter of 2012 when the economy shrank.

LONDON (Reuters) – British industrial output rose much more than expected in February, driven by a rebound in manufacturing and higher demand for energy during the unusually cold month, official data showed on Tuesday.

The improvement in industry, which late last year was the main drag on the economy, allays fears of another economic contraction in the January-March period, which would tip Britain into its third recession in less than five years.

LONDON (Reuters) – British industrial output rose much more than expected in February, driven by a rebound in manufacturing and higher demand for energy during the unusually cold month, official data showed on Tuesday.

The improvement in industry, which late last year was the main drag on the economy, allays fears of another economic contraction in the January-March period, which would tip Britain into its third recession in less than five years.

LONDON, March 28 (Reuters) – Britain’s dominant services
industry grew at its strongest pace in five months in January, a
small boost to chances the country might narrowly skirt a new
recession.

Output in the sector, which accounts for more than three
quarters of the British economy, rose 0.3 percent in January
from December, the Office for National Statistics said on
Thursday.

LONDON (Reuters) – Britain looks headed for recession and its current account deficit last year was the worst since 1989, data showed on Wednesday, dimming government hopes of a growth boost from exports and investment.

The Office for National Statistics confirmed that gross domestic product dropped 0.3 percent in the October-December period compared with the previous quarter, dragged down by sharp falls in industrial production and exports.

LONDON, March 27 (Reuters) – Sharp falls in industrial
production and exports shrank Britain’s overall output at the
end of 2012, data confirmed on Wednesday, pushing the economy to
the brink of a “triple-dip” recession.

The Office for National Statistics said that gross domestic
product dropped 0.3 percent on the quarter in the
October-December period. Compared with a year earlier, GDP grew
0.2 percent, slightly less than estimated earlier.

LONDON (Reuters) – Investors in British government bonds will welcome confirmation of the Bank of England’s inflation target in its new mandate released on Wednesday, the country’s chief debt issuer said.

“The inflation target of 2 percent has been clearly restated and I think that restating of the target is really what gives the market some confidence,” Debt Management Office chief executive Robert Stheeman told Reuters in an interview.

LONDON (Reuters) – The Bank of England is no closer to providing more support for Britain’s stagnant economy with most members of its policy committee worried by the weakness of the pound, minutes of its March meeting showed on Wednesday.

Some analysts said the 6-3 vote against further bond purchases, unchanged from February, meant more action from the bank may depend on Chancellor George Osborne giving it more leeway to target growth in Wednesday’s budget speech.